Sprint has long been the refuge for data-hungry users that don't want to deal with caps or overages. While Sprint's regular 3G and 4G data usage on phones is still unlimited, back in October the Now Network started capping the mobile hotspot feature at 5GB per month. Starting last Friday, May 18th, that plan is gone. In its place are two pricier options.

The low-end option comes with 2GB of monthly bandwidth and costs $19.99 per month.

Customers who pre-ordered HTC EVO 4G LTE…Your wait is almost over! Sprint expects to begin shipping HTC EVO 4G LTE for arrival on or around Thursday, May 24 to customers who pre-ordered the device online from Sprint.

We will provide details on the full national launch as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone who has been patient while waiting for their HTC EVO 4G LTE. We will continue to update this post as additional details are available.

T-Mobile just updated its support page for the Samsung Galaxy S II with details of an OTA update that should be rolling out right now. Before you get your hopes up, though, there's some bad news: it's not ICS. It's just an incremental Gingerbread update that brings a handful of enhancements and improvements:

Android version 2.3.6 / Software version T989UVLDE

Version

Android version 2.3.6 / Software version T989UVLDE

Over-The-Air Update (32.3 MB)

Approved 5/21/12

Improvements:

Random reboot/power off fixed

Device stability improvements

Qualcomm chip patch

Google Security fixes

Prerequisites

Android version 2.3.6 / Software version T989UVKL1 update

At least 50% battery life

The update should be available right now and will complete its rollout on June 22.

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, it seems that at least one customer ordering an HTC Amaze 4G from T-Mobile.com has been alerted that shipments of the device have been delayed "due to an unforeseen issue with receiving the product from the manufacturer." It looks like T-Mobile is sending out emails to customers informing them that they have no "estimate as to when the product will be available," and suggesting that customers explore other options in the meantime.

Update: In response to the rather vocal outcries of many of its subscribers on the web, Verizon has clarified what will happen to 3G/4G data plans explicitly. The takeaway is this: anyone purchasing a smartphone from this summer forward on subsidy pricing will be pushed into tiered/shared data. If you choose not to buy a smartphone on subsidy, you can keep your unlimited plan if you choose to.

This means if yourenew your 2-year agreement, from this summer forward, on any line by buying a "discounted" phone, you lose unlimited.

You know what's ridiculous about mobile hotspot plans? In many instances, you have to bundle those into your main package, which means you're stuck paying for it throughout the duration of your agreement regardless of whether you use it or not. T-Mobile doesn't think that's fair, so today it has announced four new levels of no contract mobile broadband plans for tablets, hotspots, and laptop dongles, starting with a 300MB 1-week pass for $15 and going up from there.

Two weeks ago, Google announced a series of expansions to carrier billing options for Play Store Apps, Movies, Books, and Music on various carriers. While some changes went into effect immediately, Sprint, which already allowed direct billing for apps, was one carrier that was listed as "coming soon."

As of today, all three additional options are available to Sprint customers: books, music, and movies. Not surprisingly, carrier billing is the default option since it's by far the cheapest to carriers and Google as they get to bypass credit card fees.

Update: The ICS update should be rolling out to the Amaze 4G now. Head to the Settings -> About menu to check for it.

Sensation 4G

Earlier this month, T-Mobile updated the support documents for the Sensation 4G to let users know that the ICS update would be available "very soon." Now, we have an exact date for that very soon: May 16th.

Beginning May 16, an optional update will be available for the Sensation 4G to update to the latest operating system, Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

US Customs has halted at least some shipments of the HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE (presumably at the Port of Los Angeles), as a result of an earlier ITC order won by Apple over a patent lawsuit for "data tapping" (context-sensitive text-based actions) in the browser and messaging apps on some HTC phones.

These features, HTC contends, have been removed from the One X and EVO 4G LTE, and HTC is "confident" that it is in compliance with the ruling:

The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S.